


The Card Game

by geekyjez



Series: Isii Lavellan [37]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Card Games, F/M, Gambling, Gen, Wicked Grace, don't bet money against the Dread Wolf
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-01
Updated: 2015-03-01
Packaged: 2018-03-15 18:42:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,552
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3457721
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/geekyjez/pseuds/geekyjez
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Isii finally talks Solas into joining in on one of their nights of Wicked Grace. She wants to see if he's really as good at playing cards as his reputation states.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Card Game

**Author's Note:**

> Set after [Simple Pleasures](http://archiveofourown.org/works/3097361).  
> The rules for Wicked Grace were inspired by [ this great post.](http://lotusflwr.tumblr.com/post/5695401519/wickedgrace)

“Ah, Solas.” Dorian chimed sarcastically as the elf sat himself down at the table. “So kind of you to grace us with your presence.”

“I am simply doing as requested,” Solas replied, glancing over to Isii who smiled warmly. He’d been resistant to joining in on their nights of Wicked Grace, but she’d been able to coax him into it.

“Shit.” Blackwall said under his breath. “This isn’t going to end well.”

“Do you need me to get you a bucket?” Isii teased. The Warden wasn’t amused. She remembered what Blackwall had said about the time he introduced her lover to the game Diamondback. He’d left the human scampering off in his shame, having bet away every item he had on him. It left her curious as to just how skilled a player Solas really was.

“I would recommend not placing clothing as an option for betting if you are not willing to part with it.” Solas said simply. Though it was subtle, she could see the corner of his lip curl, self-satisfied.

“A lesson we can all take to heart, right Cullen?” Isii added with a grin, loving the way his scar creased as the Commander pursed his lips.

“Remind me again why I agreed to this.”

“Probably because she batted her eyelashes at you,” Dorian snarked. “Seems to be an effective method, in any case.” She nudged him hard in the ribs to which the mage simply laughed.

Varric settled into his seat, his eyes circling the faces that sat around the table. “Is this everyone?” Sera and Cassandra weren’t in attendance, but that was not so surprising. Sera’s interest lay more in getting drunk than in playing cards and Cassandra was still sore from her recent losing streak.

“I’m dealing in.” Isii said, unsheathing the cards. “Anyone shows up later, they can make it in on the next game.” She shuffled, beginning to deal out their hands. “Prepare yourselves, then,” she said, setting down the draw deck and picking up her cards. “This should make for a very interesting evening.” She raised an eyebrow, smirking at Solas, yet her lover’s face remained as placid as ever. She hoped he was ready for a challenge. She certainly intended on giving him one.

* * *

“So you just broke it off with the poor boy? Just like that?”

“Would it have been kinder to let him believe that it was going to lead to something more?” Isii shrugged, her fingers moving idly over the pile of coins in front of her. Her winnings had been steadily growing, but this round’s current betting pool was quickly draining it. “In truth, he was like all the rest had been before him. Simply a means to fulfill certain needs with someone I was rather fond of. He knew that going into it. As much as my Keeper pushed, I wasn’t interested in bonding with him.”

“Stormy’s a little Dalish heartbreaker, huh?” Varric said. “Leaving a trail of moon-eyed men in her wake.”

She arched an eyebrow, smiling coyly from behind her cards. “You assume all of them were men.” Laughter rose around the table as the dwarf gave her an appraising look.

“You liked her lips best.” Cole began. “Soft, like the rest of her. Soft and dark and round. Tasted of honey and salt. You liked the sound she made when you pressed your-”

“Cole,” Isii said firmly as Cullen sputtered on his sip of ale, coughing. She pursed her lips to keep from laughing, shifting her eyes over to the spirit. “That’s more than enough.”

“Did you have some sort of comment, Commander?” Josephine asked.

“No,” he said quickly, stopping his mouth with more of his drink as he kept his eyes down.

“I’d be more interested in Solas’ reaction, honestly.” Dorian said, grinning over at the apostate. It was clear that he thought this would be some clever ammunition for a jest at the elf’s expense, but Solas merely glanced up from his cards, his face unmoved.

“Am I supposed to be titillated by this revelation?”

“Interesting choice of words,” Dorian said.

Bull laughed drunkenly. “Tits.” He muttered quietly to himself.

“Yes dear, that was the joke.”

“If you boys are quite finished,” Isii said, tossing more coins on the table, “I have a game to win. Raise. Six silvers.”

“Shit.” Bull cursed, throwing his cards down.

“Awfully confident, Inquisitor.” Josephine muttered, studying her hand before shaking her head. “I fold.”

“What about you, Cullen?” Isii asked, sinking back in her chair as she crossed one leg over the other. “You’re quite low on coin. Perhaps you can win some of it back. That pile is getting awfully large.”

He let out a short huff, his eyes narrowing. “Fold.” He grumbled, lowering his cards.

“Boldness, my dear Commander.” Dorian chided him, tossing his coins in. “I’m still in the game.”

“The four of us, then?” Isii said, glancing to Blackwall and Solas; Cole and Varric having already given up in the previous round. The Warden nodded while her lover made no gesture, calmly adding his contribution to the winnings. She leaned forward, reaching for the deck. “Then draw your cards, gentlemen.”

She looked down at her hand, studying the new addition, keeping her face relaxed even as her heart began to purr with satisfaction. The Dawn Knight, hand outstretched to meet the rising sun. That gave her five Knights. One of the strongest hands in the game. She had to discard the Song of Parting, however. She lost nothing in sacrificing it, but she knew setting it on the table would be a strong indicator to the other players that her hand _could_  be filled with either Knights or Angels. She frowned, peering at her hand, gently chewing on her lip. A display of uncertainty, despite her confidence. She cursed softly under her breath. Looking pained at allowing the card to be sacrificed, she set the Song of Parting into the pile. She glanced up at her fellow players, allowing her eyes to dart between them, shifting in feigned apprehension.

Dorian sneered, folding his cards together. “Crap.” He let them drop without making his discard choice.

_Three, then._

She watched carefully as Solas made his discard, sacrificing the Song of Love. Blackwall stared at his hand for a while before eyeing the two elves.

“Damn,” he muttered. “Not takin’ the risk.”

She glanced across the table. Solas’ face was calm. Unreadable. No surprise there. “What’ll it be, then?” Varric asked.

Her lover’s fingers moved lightly, fishing two more coins from the orderly stack he kept in front of him. “Two silvers.”

 _Only two?_  Then he most likely had a hand full of Serpents and Daggers. Low suits. Even if he had five of a kind, they would not beat her Knights. She kept her face from revealing this realization, even as she began to silently celebrate. She reached for her own pile. “Match two. Raise one more.” She wanted to raise higher, but also felt the need to maintain the apprehensive façade she was projecting. She wanted to let him think he had a chance at winning until the close of the game. It would loosen his coin purse a bit further.

He added his third coin. She let her fingers brush against his as she drew her next card and his face grew very still, watching her intently. She looked at her newest addition and couldn’t stop herself from grinning. “Angel of Death,” she purred, flipping the card between her fingers to show him. “Game over.”

“Then by all means,” he said with a polite gesture. She dropped the Angel, laying her hand out on the table.

“Five Knights.” She announced with a smirk. “The fortune of Falon’din smiles at me.” Varric whistled.

Solas stared at her cards for a moment, his face unmoving. “Your tells are quite fascinating, vhenan.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Is that so?”

“You play cards in much in the same way you fight,” he continued. “Project a false vulnerability until your enemy lets their guard down. To the average player, I am certain your performance of uncertainty would have been quite convincing.”

“You’re stalling.” She said, her brow lifting. “Ashamed to admit defeat?”

For the first time that night he smiled. Truly smiled. His lips spread into a broad and slanted smirk as he laid down his cards.

The Five Angels stared up at her.

“Fenedhis,” she cursed, scowling.

“You should have bet higher on that last raise.” Cullen said. “She would have gone for it.”

“I have my own means of keeping my motivations hidden,” Solas said simply, collecting his winnings and dropping them into his coin purse. The leather strained, swollen as he pulled the ties closed, rising from his seat. “As fascinating as this evening has been, I think it is time for me to withdraw. I don’t believe I have room enough to carry away any more of your money.”

“Smug little ass,” Dorian huffed.

Her lover circled the table to lean over the back of her chair, placing a soft kiss on her cheek. “Hamin atisha, vhenan.”

She hooked her finger around his necklace, pulling him further down to face her. “We’re going to have a rematch.” She demanded, her eyes narrowing.

His smile was both soothing and infuriating. “Ma nuvenin,” he murmured.

**Author's Note:**

> Translations:
> 
> Fenedhis – a common curse word.
> 
> Hamin atisha, vhenan – rest peacefully, love.
> 
> Ma nuvenin – as you wish.


End file.
